Nothing Left to Lose
by ScarletFire18
Summary: A novielized duet between a former villian who found his way, and a turned villain who is certain in her destiny.


Cassandra watched Varian out of her right eye corner, vigilant and attentive, unsheathing her sword with a loud _shing!_, the weapon of the moon camouflaged and secured against her back.

Varian didn't flinch, staring down at his unshackled gloved hands, at Cassandra's departing back, at her solitary elemental home, her footsteps echoing like knocks on a door, rebounding off the imposing earthen walls.

He couldn't even catch a glimpse at her face, but he acquired enough information from the silence, her taut figure strained with antagonism, with ire. He wasn't vexed with her kidnapping, forcing a Truth Serum in his exposed mouth; all these acts, were flashbacks, a reliving of his villainy. He was blinded by his anger to release his father from the amber, but found his sight and his mind when he was redeemed, forgiven by the people he thought were enemies, but they were much more than that, and so was he.

And so was Cassandra.

_Revenge can be very appealing, but also very dangerous, you turn to it's track, and your back on everybody who loved you, as a friend, or as family. Each step is easy for you at first, but it's difficult to return the way you came._

Cassandra sharpened her potent Shadow Blade with a stone, each scrape electrifying the sword with renewed vigor, it's sheer dark material reflective like a mirror, she was heedless to Varian.

She was cheerless, comfortless in her reflection. He was beseeched, genuine and expressive.

_You think it would be temporary as you're wrapped and trapped in your decision, but it's permanent when you choose the not and the wrong, it's a scar against your heart, it's a painful memory as you reflect on what you thought you wanted. Life said it was dark, you said it was right. But once that feeling drains you at the end of your path, you feel nothing but regret._

She rested her sword on a conjured boulder, walking away from Varian, from the light in the dark, as she was metaphorically obscure and he was under the Sunlight's glare rebounded off her spires.

_You can't walk away from this!_

She almost halted but irritatedly shook her head, her armor blending in with the shadows of her fortress.

_Yes, I can! It was my choice!_

Varian caught up with her, searing the line of her temper, but not wholly setting it off. He was still pleading for her reconsideration, and she was staring daggers in his face, but he either evaded it, or ignored the position she was putting him under. She ignored his presence everywhere she went, walking every edge or corner, but always meeting his pitiful face. She couldn't escape the inescapable, couldn't refuse the undeniable, the honesty he was declaring, for he's been in her position, he was talking from past experience.

_You lose yourself in the process, you lose your mind, you lose anything that was beneficial, you're the embodiment of damaged! If you're drifting towards being repaired, then I'm afraid you're in the wrong direction._

She found herself, surprised slightly at gazing upon her pale face, a sickly white that was taking away her blood, her health, and her sanity. Cassandra caught Varian in the reflection with her, holding out his hand in a peaceful manner, untroubled by whatever she threw at him with her words or her rocks, the Moonstone was losing it's light as she was losing her touch in this sensitive position, for Varian kept talking, kept his hand in an offering, putting himself in his own vulnerability, his defenses shut away, he wasn't fighting back, he was reasoning, he wasn't being aggressive or judgmental, he knew exactly what her anger was about.

She absentmindedly raised a fist, grounding her teeth, _I don't want to hear anymore!_

_You lose your soul! You gain the loss of everything you've owned! You realize there's nothing left to lose! Please, Cassandra! Just listen to me!_

Varian grabbed her hand as she retreated, and she didn't react when he touched her like some desperate companion, and it was almost as if she was allowing some human contact, some privilege to him, and she almost sighed, but her breath caught in her throat when he mistakably dubbed her a villain.

Her placated anger resurfaced, her subdued hand jerked out of his grab. She whirled around to face him at last, indignant and aggravated.

_My story is dissimilar to yours. My path was prearranged, voluntary! We both have light on our closure, but mine alone is more distinguishable even when jet black._

Cassandra displayed her palm whilst Varian sufficently backed away, but not nervously or uneasily. His hands were held up like in surrender, but he's not giving up. His eyes held more meaning and worry than his body language portrayed.

_My path was made for me, I formed it independently! You say it's challenging to go back the way you came, but I'm only going forwards. Why would I return to something I have no part in? No respect in?! I'm only looking for my destiny! And I have one! And I'm not wasting it away! I'm not waiting! This isn't wrong, this is freedom._

Crooked fangs of rocks straightened and grew together, supporting her from underneath, rising and ascending, and Cassandra lived it, reveled in it.

Her foot stomped once, twice, her arm outstretched and clawed the sky. A new set of rocks spun around the ground, their pointy limbs aimed on Varian, but he didn't move, nor did his expression waver.

_Do you know what you're getting yourself into?_

Cassandra's fingers caressed the Opal, her eyes brightening proudly, pleasured and fulfilled, appearing fleetingly like the persona she once had, like when she was appointed a guard at the Science Exposition, she worked hard for that, but now, she was working for the incorrect goal. Her irises dimmed distastefully, and she jumped backwards on a colossal slab of glowing earth.

_Yes. I know precisely what I'm getting myself into, but do you? You can loathe me, you can shame me, but you will not interfere, therefore._

She balanced herself with small individual steps on the wall, each time she walked, every leisure step on a thrusted rock she emphatically threw reminiscences back at him, back where he was the bad guy, he claimed it was alright to be one, and now she's saying so. _But I am_ no _villain._

_You lost your nerve, you lost the game, but between us, we will never be the same! You had your losses, I'm obtaining victory! I will not lose! If I drop and collapse, I won't break! You lost your head on your own, I'm keeping mine intact. I have ambitions here, you know._

She dropped and tumbled on a slide of moving rock, her athleticism was one thing about her that stayed, and she curtly brushed past Varian, her shoulders refraining from bumping his own, and he dropped the care for a moment and hardened his light blue eyes to sapphire, his demeanor now steely and serious.

_You have to listen! I know how this ends! We may not be remotely similar, but I have had the experience! Greed can get to your head along with the power you possess, you keep taking what you want, unaware and indifferent in the consequences, but then, all you want is to be repaired and have a second chance. You want to fix what you caused, but at least you won't be alone. The people you've harmed in some way can forgive you, and the friends we have are at least very understanding! Now, I just need you to understand._

Cassandra didn't. She brought upon a row of spikes to lift a stoned painting of Rapunzel, and something caught Varian's attention. Her hand shook, and he knew it wasn't from the weight. He didn't speak, he let her do the talking.

_The chains of doubts and insecurities that retained me, were broken by their prisoner. The weaknesses that taunted my mind evaporated and solidified with strengths._

She lowered her hand, but only to snap back and fist her palm, a concentrated blade stretching out of her gloved hand, connected to her, and she made her move, savagely whirling around to wreck the remnant of the Princess, _Now, I have nothing left to lose!_

But she was stopped by Varian, his grip unveiling his strength on the outside and the inside.

_Rapunzel didn't give up on me, whose to say I can't do the same for you?!_

Cassandra was losing some control, jerking her arm away and smashing serrated orderly boulders in his gut, hurling him away to the midst of the room, but he still got up.

_Let's wrap this up._

Varian was raising his voice now, so was she. He was still giving her those amicable hands, but she refuses to take them.

_You say you don't have any supporters, but that's a lie! There will always be somebody to help you get back on the right track, and one's standing right in front of you!_

She stormed off, but it wasn't enough. He's saying too much, she's being pressured too much, and she was crossing the line, another line.

_You don't know me or the life I've had! The suffering at my own mother choosing a girl I once thought had nothing to hide from me! At least you had a parent to care about you!_

She's made her choice before, and she can do it again. If Varian was a friend, he wouldn't be so oblivious either.

_It's time for you to leave._

She twisted her hands, distorted her fingers, gesturing and controlling two connected hands, like when wringing a throat, an embrace to his entire being as he will very close to being squeezed, but she kept a menacing promise, with her hand hauling it closer to her, but Varian wouldn't show any apprehension.

Her teal eyes glowed with authority, commanding him to stay put and to stay away, as he had no more business being in this tower, as he was an enemy and must be imprisoned, it's the least she could do.

The exit gaped like a ravenous beast, to devour a victim to the very skies, a track linked to Varian's spherical cage and swiftly transported him out, the gigantic stalactites and stalagmites clamping down their jaw, concealing him, carelessly hovering him, with his little prison constricted enough to make him claustrophobic, but his life wasn't fully on the line, for there were fissures of gratifying oxygen.

Cassandra's outstretched arm folded into a raised hand, snapping a finger to shatter the held painting of Rapunzel, another abrupt spike piercing an end to crumble it all, it's fragility collapsing like glass. And she didn't even look nor nod at what she's done, she felt it in her power, in her core that nothing left in this room will be a reminder of the people she knew and the things relating to them, like Rapunzel.

_Now, I have nothing left to lose._

She turned, faced her slope of an extended path of narrow rocks, compressed and conjoined, slowly walking up to her already constructed throne; it's back remarkably massive, it's seat sleek and made by faint obsidian stone, it's color like when night parts for the dawn.

She sat silently for more than just a moment, her face didn't appear thrilled at her overpower, her advantage in imprisoning Varian at the very peak of her tower, she was frowning contemplative; not grinning. Her body language was composed, unlike the turmoil in her turned heart. Her emotions were a disturbance to her seated victory, she thought there was nothing more attaching to her old life, but if she was mistaken, she didn't have the knowledge of it.

Diagonal spikes elongated on the ground before her, pointing towards the outside concealed world, where her challengers were coming.

She clenched her cobalt fist against its armrest, her expressionless vulnerable face hardening into her defensive determination, as impenetrable as her materialized abilities.

She'll be prepared, she has nothing to fear, only something to despise. Don't concern over Varian, you did what you were supposed to, for I was aware, desirable in my choice.

_Destiny awaits._


End file.
